Few days back I came across a news link that spoke of the recent installation of paintings by Gaganendranath and Abanindranath Tagore in the Victoria Memorial museum gallery (Kolkata). The first feeling was of immense happiness seeing the two artists finally receiving their due places in the hall of fame. The second feeling was of…
Category: culture
Paintings by the colonial era Company artist: SitaRam
During the late 18th century as the East India Company expanded its control over Bengal and parts of northern India, Indian painting technique and style underwent revolutionary changes. The Mughal style of painting using natural pigments and minerals were abandoned for the newly learned watercolour technique, and old painting themes that were based on historical…
Gwalior Fort in the heartland of India, Madhya Pradesh
The old State of Gwalior in India’s madhyadesa Standing amidst the forest clad ridges, low topped hills and plateaus, valleys, plains, and many rivers (Chambal and its tributaries), the old State of Gwalior in Central India has been a silent witness to many historical proceedings from times immemorial. Geographically the territory could be divided into two…
Visvesvara /Basheswara/ Bishweshwara Mahadev temple in Bajoura (Kullu, Himachal Pradesh)
While staying in Sarsai near Manali with my friend in early April this year, I came across photographs of the beautiful Baseswara temple (assigned to 9th c. CE built) located in the Bajoura town of the Kullu district. Despite grim warnings by my friend about how hot Kullu will be by late morning, and her…
Temple of Dance- the Ramappa temple complex in Palampet, Telengana
“The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the house of the Lord.” ― Howard W. Hunter The Palampet temples In a serene valley of the long forgotten village of Palampet, amidst vast crop fields, surrounded by wooded hills and a large lake, stands…
The Temple in Warangal Fort (A Photo Essay)
It had been a long day of travelling and exploring different Kakatiyan temples in the remote village of Pillalamari in Telengana, and when we finally journeyed towards the Warangal fort it was already late afternoon, and we had just a couple of hours in hand before the fort premises would shut down for the day….
Kakatiyan Dynasty- An Architectural Sojourn
“Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritages are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” ~ UNESCO As I sat down to read the books and various journals that I had bookmarked in order to write on…
In the Land of Pilgrimage ~ Haridwar
Escaping the cycle of life and death In India, the tradition of pilgrimage is deeply rooted within the realms of its religious consciousness. Owing to large number of pilgrim spots spread all across this sub continent, the entire region can be labelled as one vast sacred space. There are early mentions of pilgrim spots or…
Gone Fishing ~ A Bengali’s undying love for fish, and the history of Bengali food
Khai khai koro keno, esho bosho ahare, Khaobo ajob khaoa, bhoj koi jahare. ~ Sukumar Roy A seven course menu? No sir. Ours is a 9, 10, or even better, an 11 course service! A Bengali meal is a fine balance of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. A complete lunch menu would ideally start with…
Traversing the Ganges, from Old Times to New – Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=GGpybbYBOfI Once upon a time, when man did not bind waters for his own selfish needs, rivers moved freely. They traversed borders, crossed countries, beginning from one and ending in another; sometimes merging with rushing brooks, and sometimes branching away into runnels. They formed a network of waterways, which seamlessly interwove varying cultural, religious, and social…
Moni Gāthā 